Travel news: Cruising season in Ontario, ballet shows by the Atlantic Ocean, and Switzerland’s latest arts district

Sail away

Ontario’s small-ship cruising season is now underway. In Muskoka, you can climb aboard Muskoka Steamships‘ 1887 RMS Segwun — the only steam-powered Royal Mail Ship in the world — or the Wenowah II, its fully accessible modern-day counterpart. Kingston 1000 Islands Cruises’ three-hour Heart of the Islands cruise is an in-depth journey that passes by the area’s historic (and sometimes extravagant) summer properties, including the unusual Napoleon’s Hat cottage, built in 1913. If you’d like to steer your own way, book a vessel from Le Boat and spend a week exploring historic locks and townships along the Rideau Canal — no boating license necessary.

Pirouettes with a twist

Susan Chalmers-Gauvin, co-founder of the award-winning Atlantic Ballet, did something unconventional to ensure her company could perform safely during the pandemic: She added an outdoor stage to her private Grande-Digue, N.B., property. What started as a survival strategy has evolved into a one-of-a-kind show, “Ballet by the Ocean,” where guests watch dancers while eagles soar overhead, and the waves crash nearby. This summer’s series runs from July 2 to 31, and each ticket includes a five-course meal (with wine pairings), prepared with local ingredients by chef Emmanuel Charretier.

All aboard

Plateforme 10, Switzerland’s latest arts district, will officially open just steps from Lausanne’s main train station on June 18. The precinct includes three museums: the Cantonal Museum of Fine Arts; MUDAC (the Museum of Contemporary Design and Applied Arts) and Musée de l’Elysée (the Cantonal Museum for Photography). Inaugural exhibitions at all three institutions will be train-themed, playing homage to the nearby railway, with programming to include live music, culinary workshops and swing dance sessions.

Opening soon

On Aug. 21, the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures in Los Angeles will unveil a landmark exhibition, “Regeneration: Black Cinema 1898 – 1971.” The first-of-its-kind display will explore both the challenges and achievements of Black filmmakers and performers in the United States, from the dawn of cinema until the U.S. civil rights movement. In addition to rarely seen films, the exhibition will include photographs, scripts, costumes (including one worn by Sammy Davis Jr. in the 1959 film “Porgy and Bess”) and props (such as one of Louis Armstrong’s trumpets). “Regeneration” will run until April 9, 2023.

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